Surfacing machine for plate glass



March 16, 1937. H. s. HEICHERT SURFACING MACHINE FOR PLATE GLASS Filed June 23; 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 E HERMQN I /EJ25222 4 A TTORNEYS.

Filed June 25, 1956' 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 I mmm IN V EN TOR. CHER-1- ATTO Y.

March 16,1937. H, s. HEICHERT 1 SURFACING MACHINE FOR PLATE GLASS Filed June 25, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Q X 4 E f 5 I4 i INVENTOR.

ATT NEYS.

i atentecl Mar.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,074,111 SURFACING MACHINE FOR, PLATE GLASS Herman S. Heichert, Pittsburgh, Pa-., assignor to Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 23, 1936, Serial No. 86,784

2 Claims.

The invention relates tosurfacing 'machines and particularly to grinding machines for use in connection with grinding plate glass in a continuous straight away operation; :such as shown in the patent to J. H. Fox No. l,554,804,in which theglass sheets secured to the tops of the tables or cars are carried beneath a series of machines having vertical driven spindles carrying the grinding runners. The invention is directed to the runner construction, and has for its principal Objects the provision of an improved construction which will give a better distribution of the grinding effect over the area of the glass plates than the one disc type of runner of the Fox patent. A further object is the provision of a runner of the multiple disc type, in which provision is made for driving the individual discs in an improved manner and permitting them to adjust themselves to the faces of the glass sheets, so as to give a uniform abrading action and avoid any tendency to break the glass. One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a horizontal section taken on the 25 line I-I of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line II-II of Fig. 1, and also in part on the -line IIII of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a section on the line IIIIII of Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 6 are sections on the lines IVIV and VI-VI respectively of 30 Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a section on the line VV of Fig.

, 4 looking up. And Fig. '7 is a section on the line VIIVII of Fig. 5.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 8 is the platform in the form of a single casting or a plurality of members welded together and consisting of the central box portion 9 and the deck l0 lying in a horizontal plane. This platform is hung on the lower end of the drive spindle II by a universal joint construction later described, such spindle 410 being mounted for rotation in a casing, whose lower end is shown at l2 and being suitably driven at its upper end by suitable means, such as that shown in the Fox patent. The deck of the platform carries three electric motors l3, I3, [3 which drive the runners l4, l4, I4 through the intermediary of reduction gearing in the casings I5, [5, l5, such runners eachbein'g supported on a work spindle, such as the spindle I6, shown in Fig. 2, by a universal joint construction, later described. The driving connections for the work spindles and the universal mounting of these runners on the spindles are the same in all cases, so that a description of one will be sufficient for all. In operation, the platform is free to adjust 55 itself about its universal connection with the drive spindle, and the individual runners are free to adjust themselves to the surface of the glass plates about their universal connections with the work spindles.

The drive spindle is guided in the lower end of 5' the casing I21by the roller bearing Ilia beneath which is a stufiing box I! for preventing the lubricant supplied to the spindle bearings from leaking out along the spindle. Mounted on the top of the box 9 is a shield l8 which carries an annular box I9, to which a mixture of abrasive and water is supplied from the pipe 20. Secured to the lower end of the spindle by key 2| is a block 22 having journal lugs 23, 23 carrying a shaft 24. A rectangular yoke 2411 (Fig. 1) receives the ends of the shaft 24 which is made nonrotative with respect to the yoke by means of the keys 25, 25 (Fig. 2). The sides of the yoke are provided with integral trunnions 26, 26 (Fig. 1) mounted in bearings 21, 21 mounted on and secured to the bottom of the box 9. This arrangement provides a universal mounting for the platform with respect to the spindle, since the yoke 24a is free to rock in one direction with respect to the platform about its trunnions 2B, 26, while the block 22 is free to rock in the other direction on the shaft 24.

In order to limit the rocking movement of the 28, 28 (Fig. 2) are provided extending through the ends of the shaft 24 and adapted to engage the plates 29, 29 secured to the bottom of the box 9. Similarly rocking movement of the block 22 with respect to the yoke 24a. is limited by stop screws 30, 39 (Fig. 2) extending through lugs 3|, 3! on the block, and adapted to engage lugs 32, 32 integral with the sides of the yoke.

The runners I4 carried by the work spindles l6 comprise metal discs with planking 33 (Fig. 2) on the lower sides provided with the usual grinding shoes 34. The spindle I6 is guided by the roller bearings 35 and 36 in the casing l5, and has keyed to its upper end the worm wheel 31 meshing with the worm 38 carried by the shaft of the motor I3.

Secured to the lower end of the work spindle It by the nut 39 is the casting 40 corresponding in function to the block 22, heretofore described in connection with the driving spindle l l, but differently shaped. This casting 4!] is pivoted to a yoke 4| by means of the shafts 42, 42, the yoke 24a, heretofore described in connection with the driving spindle II, but differently shaped. The yoke lies beneath the casting 4B, and is of rectangular shape (Fig. 5). It has two lugs 43, 43

projecting upwardly from the rectangular body portion through slots in the casting 40 (Figs. 2 and 3) through which the shafts 42, 42 extend and on which the yoke rocks.

The yoke 4| is pivotally attached to the casting 44 (which supports the runner and acts as a housing) by means of a pair of shafts 45, 45 (Figs. 3 and 4). The rocking movement of the yoke 4| with respect to the casting 40 is adjustably limited by the four stop screws 46, as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6, while the rocking movement of the runner with respect to the casting 40 is adjustably limited by the stop screws 41, as indicatedin Figs. 2, 5 and '7. The construction, as above described provides a universal joint connection between the work spindle l6 and runner l4, permitting the runner to adjust itself to the plane of the glass sheet upon which it works. To give protection to the working parts in the housing 44, such housing is provided with a suitable sheet metal cover plate 48 (Figs. 4 and 6). Abrasive and water are supplied to the runner from thetrough l9 (Fig. 1) by means of the pipe 49 which discharges into the annular trough 50 on the top of the runner. Suitable passages lead through the runner from the trough to the bottom side of the runner.

What I claim is:

1. In combination in a plate glass grinding machine, an upright drive spindle, a platform secured to the lower end of the spindle with a universal joint permitting the platform to rock freely in all directions, a plurality of vertical work spindles projecting downwardly through the platform, a motor for each work spindle mounted on the platform in driving relation with such spindle, and a grinding runner mounted for universal movement on the lower end of each of the work spindles.

2. In combination in a plate glass grinding machine, an upright drive spindle, a platform secured to the lower end of the spindle with a universal joint permitting the platform to rock freely in all directions, a plurality of vertical work spindles projecting downwardly through the platform, an electric motor for each work spindle mounted on the platform, reduction gearing between each motor spindle and its work spindle, and a grinding runner mounted for universal movement on the lower end of each of the work spindles.

HERMAN S. HEICHERT. 

